Despite Best Efforts At Spin, Bush Is Up To His Neck In Leak Mess
by Steve
After hearing all the leak talk over the weekend, and after carrying his water longer than he wants to, Arlen Specter said yesterday that Bush and Cheney need to explain why they leaked classified information to defend themselves from Joe Wilson. It is especially curious that they did this, when in fact they were leaking and actively promoting information that was already being discredited inside the Administration, especially by Colin Powell and the Agency.
Editor and Publisher says the Post's Fred Hiatt penned his despicable whitewash of an editorial yesterday to change the subject away from the paper's own pathetic and tragically wrong support for the war.
It shouldn't surprise anyone that Fox News is downplaying the leak revelations and instead is devoting twice as much coverage to bashing black Democratic representative Cynthia McKinney. Bashing blacks is a diversionary tactic for Fox.
Jay Rosen over at his blog says that Bob Woodward was played by the Bush White House, and is now part of the problem. Thanks to Jay for the nice reference to ER’s work as well. Face it, Woodward's a tool for Bush.
Newsweek’s Mike Isikoff and Evan Thomas reported yesterday that the GOP is now worried that a “leaker in chief” image for Bush will take hold with the public and damage the party for the fall election.
The NYT’s David Sanger and David Johnston reported yesterday that the Administration admits that Bush authorized the leak of classified information to fight back against Wilson, but that it didn’t direct Libby to be the conduit for that information. That seems to leave open the possibility that Libby was freelancing, or that it was Cheney who was actively directing the pushback campaign himself. Or is that the sound of a branch being sawed off behind Shooter?
Margaret Carlson of Bloomberg says that Bush needs to look in the mirror the next time he attacks leakers.
And take a look at this great summary of the negative press coverage Bush is getting from the leak story and Iraq/Iran by Al Rodgers over at DailyKos.